Gaius Lestrade
Gaius Lestrade is an ex-Knight turned mercenary under the employment of Cedric Gallows. He is one of the five individuals bound together by the Eye of the Otherworld's magic. Life Gaius Lestrade is the son of Marcus and Anna Lestrade. The Lestrade family are low level nobility in Whytehold, holding no particularly significant lands, owning a manor in the region of Adlin's Rock. Gaius grew up alongside a brother and sister (Francis and Elizabeth), being the eldest of the three of them. He had a very close connection with his father who was a squire to Matthias Frankwin of Aldin's Rock although he was never quite able to become knighted. Gaius was instilled with his father's dream of becoming a true note and was given a great deal of encouragement when training to become a knight. The money for his training when he was younger actually came from their connection to the Venger family through Gaius' mother, who somewhat sponsored his training. From the early age of eight he began to take swordsmanship classes. While no childhood prodigy, he was certainly quite competent and soon began entering tournaments between young squires where his natural talent for enduring punishment as well as his incredible height and accompanying strength allowed him to take victory after victory, even against some of the more skilled of his peers. By well into his teens he was using far larger weapons than most other squires at the time, much to the pride of his family. His performance gained him some attention in the area where he lived and Lord Frankwin took note of the son of one of his oldest and most loyal squires. Eventually, Matthias Frankwin himself began to sponsor him. Soon he was invited to stay at the castle of Aldrin's Rock itself to train with the Lord's own son, Oscar and receive some more in-depth training. Such a connection would be most useful in climbing the social ladder in Whytehold and his parents had high hopes for their son, who believed that he would be able to elevate the Lestrade family to a higher status than the low one they currently held. Gaius trained alongside Matthias' son Oscar while at Aldrin's Rock and the two developed an easy friendship, and the two complemented each other quite nicely. Gaius was far taller and broader than the more willow-like and elegant Oscar Frankwin. At the age of eighteen, Gaius was officially knighted by Lord Frankwin. His family hosted a fairly grand celebration in recognition of the achievement and at that point, things seemed to be looking up for the Lestrade family. However, this was also where Beatrix Everise entered both his and Oscar's lives causing the incident that led to his ostracism from the high society of Whytehold. At the celebration, Gaius received advances from Beatrix and at the time, he offered little resistance and returned them. However, Oscar appeared and also expressed interest in her. The newly appointed knight felt an obligation to Oscar and the Frankwin family for what they had done for him, and so stepped back and moved on. He held no particular love for her, so he moved on with ease and spent some time courting other ladies of his age who attended. As he was the new Knight around, he received plenty of affection from people coming to meet him and see the latest rising star. He eventually decided to settle on one Claudia Goodwin and decided that she would be the focus of his courtship. After the party, letters were exchanged and the relationship continued through the next year until things took a turn for the worse for him. A year later, a marriage between Beatrix and Oscar took place. Gaius, who was still residing at Aldrin's Rock, attended the wedding. Unfortunately for him, it seemed that Beatrix had not forgotten the celebration of his knighting and while Oscar was distracted she made further advances. He deflected her, but she was not yet done with him. Over the next few weeks and months she pressured the young knight and backed him into a corner, threatening to tell Oscar about the discreet meetings that she had paid to him. He knew that his friend would be mortified to find out about it, and that he would likely take her words over his. As such, Gaius reluctantly agreed to conducting the affair with a constant fear in his heart. Despite his attempts, he could not dissuade her and with the threat of her husband at hand, there was little that he could do. As to be expected, he was discovered. Oscar was furious and Gaius attempted to plead with his friend but to no avail. The news was soon reported to Matthias who Gaius was also unable to dissuade. He was put temporarily into the cells of Aldrin's Rock along with all of his possessions where he was to reside for a couple of days. However, in a fit of anger at the injustice and the fact that nobody seemed to believe him, he challenged Oscar to a duel so that they could settle the issue on the duelling ground under the eyes of the Father, the logic being that the just party would win. Oscar refused, however the news of this never got out of Aldrin's Rock. The son failing, Gaius angrily challenged the father instead. Matthias Frankwin met Gaius Lestrade on the duelling ground. As they stood there, facing each other waiting for the duel to begin, he regretted the decision to challenge the man who had given him everything. He knew that no matter what happened there, he would never be able to escape the insidious rumours and it would have taken years to recover his reputation. Claudia was also devastated. She appeared at the duelling ground and glared at Gaius the whole time. His family was there in full force to witness either his redemption or his fall. He did the best he could steel himself, knowing that there was nothing else to do but fight the duel. The bell rung to signal the start, and Gaius lost. He left Aldrin's Rock the very same day and fled Whytehold, heading for western Tyrrus and refused to return there. For another thirteen years, Gaius drifted from town to town, city to city and worked as a mercenary. He accompanied trade caravans and chauffeured lords around on their daily business. The most he could do was afford to keep his equipment in good condition and afford his lodgings in cheap inns. He made appearances at the Grand Tournaments in Eredan when they were hosted, but mostly kept to himself and did not place highly. The Grand Tournament of 2015 Gaius entered the Grand Tournament of 2015 where by a poor twist of fate, he fought against Oscar Frankwin. While he was aware that he competed in the tournaments, he had deliberately avoided him as best he could to avoid potential drama. There was no such luck this year. Oscar had received dedicated training and had been competing for several years prior whereas Gaius never completed his formal training but had more real-life experience than his old friend. The match reminded those in Whytehold of the incident that had taken place some eleven years prior, and Oscar had not let go of the grudge. The dishonoured knight did everything that he could to remain neutral and civil during the match, but he did not plan on surrendering. The fighters circled each other, Oscar verbally jabbing Gaius who remained resolute and did not give in. He had learned his lesson about rashness from the duel against Matthias and later incidents in his time as mercenary. His lack of reaction infuriated his opponent who attacked savagely. Gaius' cool allowed him to gain the advantage over his opponent and brought him down. Later that day, Oscar found Gaius near one of the food stalls in his armour. The other man was not as well equipped and furiously accused him of cheating and began to stir trouble. This would not have been a particular issue, except for the presence of Beatrix. After questioning her presence and calling her a snake, Oscar pulled his dagger. His life now in danger, he gave Oscar no mercy. He snapped his arm and slammed his head against a stone wall, knocking him unconscious with a bad head injury. While this time, witnesses attested to Gaius defending himself, he was disqualified from the tournament. Moments later, the undead began to swarm into the tournament grounds through the portal created by Sir Zeylin. Gaius picked up his sword and helped resist the invasion and bore witness to the Storm Dragon that had been summoned by an unknown party. After the defeat of the invasion, he slipped away back into anonymity. A Meeting in Varewyn and the Invasion of Eredan Two years later, his mercenary work paid off. A couple of days after escorting a nobleman to Silvershire, he received a letter from one M'Dad Gallows promising him a fortune to escort a certain Cedric Gallows across the world. He accepted on the promise that he would receive payment when he brought Cedric back. He hardly expected to be facing much trouble, so to Gaius it seemed like it would be an easy job. A lot of money, for little effort. How he was wrong. Gaius travelled with Cedric and the doctor that Midad hired to accompany them, Bartholomaus Steiner, to the city of Varewyn where they investigated the ruined Valentine Manor. They soon found themselves bound to two other people, namely the young lord of the manor Kevin Valentine and the explorer Ayla Vanderstone. They encountered the mysterious Scarlet Nightborne whose controversial history was unknown to the group. She offered to help disconnect the five of them from the orb, but with the warning that the answers lay outside of Tyrrus. Gaius was bound by his contract to follow the reckless Cedric out of Tyrrus to solve this problem and soon found himself trying to reduce the tensions between members of the party while attempting to maintain friendships with them. After leaving Varewyn, the group found themselves heading to the Forgotten City where they discovered the plot of Zaikerik and Eredall II to invade the city of Eredan. Exploring the ruins further, they encountered the undead spirit of Sabrina Kairn and her Banshees who they fought a deadly dance with, in which Gaius was severely injured. Afterwards, Cedric retrieved the ancient bow used to play an ancient cello played by Sabrina during the battle, which would have disastrous consequences later on. Afterwards, they sent a letter ahead of them and raced to Eredan to help defend it. After traipsing through the city, they eventually met up with the commander of the House of War who recruited them to help defend the city. Their rest was interrupted by the invasion beginning in the early hours of the morning. After a rendezvous at the castle and the lessons he learned in Whytehold about military strategy coming in useful Gaius, Cedric, Kevin and Bartholomaus set out to rescue the Queen while they sent Ayla with some explosives to dispatch the siege engine. Rather than finding the Queen, they found a young lady called Mercia Cliffwater being held captive by The Jailor. A fight ensued and Gaius dealt several heavy blows to the dark being after having his soul ripped from his body by its lethal hook, being the one to finally banish the creature. He claimed the hook and the group met up with Anovid Kilnegar who had arrived ahead of time with Mina Frost. Afterwards, they received the revelation from Scarlet that Haven was under attack from Zaikerik himself and after they arrived, he warned the Dark Monks of the attack. After the invasion, they were paid and gathered supplies. Gaius himself managed to complete some of his training with one of the Whytehold Knights who had arrived to save the city, but was recognised. They ventured East towards Izir. While passing through Whytehold, Gaius felt a sense of unease and rode swiftly through the region until they reached the gate which they received passage through, courtesy of General Talon Austermark. They passed through into the harsh and unforgiving desert country with Dark Monk Varius Nightborne and Mercia Cliffwater. Izir After passing through the gate and joining a caravan headed for Slaver City, Gaius conversed with the Shakh of the caravan who did not believe his stories of undead. After arriving at the city, he purchased a local map with ten coins looted off a dead imp and joined Cedric to meet with Grand Vizier Mahomet. He was drugged and along with Cedric, Ayla and Mercia he was put on to a slave auction. However, much to his horror an unknown magical presence possessed his charge and wreaked ungodly havoc upon the auction. The knight fled with his comrades and once they had unshackled themselves, equipped himself once more and tried to escape. In the panic, he killed a man in cold blood, which upon later reflection disturbed him somewhat after he began to take a protective role towards Mercia. After the incident, Mercia confessed that she was not who she claimed to be. The Queen who they initially believed to be missing or dead was in front of them. They discovered that she was Victoriana Alyssa Dragoncrest I who had lied about her identity in order to escape from the oppressive life in the capital. However, adventure did not appear to be all that she thought it was and she began to be afraid of Cedric. The protective duty that he now had towards her began to remind the erstwhile knight of the values he held in his youth - Honour, duty and valour. The cynicism of the years began to be turned by the presence of someone truly in need of protecting. Someone he was protecting because it was the right thing to do, not because he was paid to. He soon began to feel this drive to protect Cedric after discovering what he and Bartholomaus had done by using the Bow for the final time. It became evident, especially after it seemed that whatever Cedric was interacting with also crept into Victoriana's mind, that his young employer was dealing with something far beyond their comprehension. After leaving Slaver City, they were hit by a sandstorm and both Gaius and the Queen were thrown from the caravan. They could not reach it, so he dedicated his efforts to protecting her from the worst of the storm and fell unconscious after being struck by a rock. Meanwhile, a party of Izir raiders led by the tomb raider Azrik attacked the caravan and kidnapped the two. Once awake, Gaius was tasked by Azrik to enter the Tomb of Azyor and recover the treasures inside. To refuse would be to risk Victoriana's death, and he was promised that in the event that he died she would be freed. The knight was forced to accept. After descending into the temple, he relinquished his weapons and armour at the behest of a magical inscription. Careful observation revealed bodies that had died further along seemingly impaled or otherwise slain for carrying arms and armour. He advanced through the corridor filled with weighted plates until he reached a second room. It asked that he choose the path of strength or endurance. After choosing strength, Gaius met a Jackal-headed man with a golden staff in battle. After a tough battle, Gaius defeated the apparition and it faded away. He drunk a health potion to give him some energy to pass through the trial of endurance ahead. He picked up a backpack full of iron keys and carried it through a relentless sandstorm, refusing to back down. Afterwards, he was met with a door with a lock. Sighing, he tried many of the keys until he found the one to open the lock. The trial of willpower to follow would have a significant effect on Gaius. He made his way carefully across a thin bridge across a wide expanse which eventually fell into total blackness. He went down to his knees and crawled across, continuing despite flashing colours and the panicked screams of Victoriana. He was truly concerned for her and began to panic, rushing ahead to try to get to her. However, soon the reality of the situation hit him and he realised that she couldn't be there. It confirmed her importance to him, and began to return him on to the path of knightly duty. Once he reached the end of this walkway, he stood up and saw three ways ahead. One led straight forwards, and two golden paths towards treasure. He knew that Azrik would simply demand it of him, and something seemed wrong about it to the knight so he chose to ignore it. As he proceeded, a beautiful, perfect woman appeared and tried to tempt him towards the treasure. His mind flashed back to the incident with Beatrix and how she pressured him despite rejecting what was offered, and he too refused. The woman congratulated him and seemingly, the back entrance to the temple swung open ahead of him. It revealed Azrik and his raiders with Victoriana, and Azrik welcomed him back. He realised that Victoriana would never have told Azrik her name and so denounced the spirit, causing them all to distort and form horrible shadows. His mind now well prepared and steeled against the illusions of this place, he lashed out at the shadow of the temptress. The visions faded around him. Only a simple wooden door remained across the pathway. He slipped along the path but caught himself, then finally made his way across. Upon opening the door, he was met with a large chamber that was poorly lit. Upon a stone throne in the centre sat an old corpse of a king. As he crossed the room, a green ethereal spirit shaped like a bear came out from behind the throne and approached him. It solidified before his eyes and stopped in front of him. Gaius reached out and touched the bear's head, then it nuzzled against him. Suddenly, the dead king spoke. It named him, and commended him for the honour that he had regained proclaiming that after a thousand years someone worthy of his companion, the treasure of the temple, had come. Azyor gave it unto Gaius, before finally going to rest. He left the temple. Azrik was incredulous, seeing that there was nothing save the bear inside. By this time, Cedric and Bartholomaus had arrived and they departed after being bequeathed camels and water by the enigmatic raider. After receiving word that their presence was sought at the Crimson Monastery in Southern Izir, they rode South while Gaius started to learn about his new companion. Going Home Over the course of their time in Izir, Gaius and Sentinel grew closer as Gaius learned about the complex magic behind spirit animals and the peculiarities of their existence. His role to play in the significant events of Izir would be fairly limited, spending a little time in Cedric's head to help him drive off the Unspeakable Ones. Additionally, he also played a major role in bringing down the Crimson Behemoth in Transcendence prior to its destruction via a magically charged duel between the Unspeakably-empowered Cedric and the Aysa-powered Doctor Steiner. He had spent most of the time prior to this under mind control of King Shafiq and during the fight observed from outside of the city. After they had finally left Izir, rescuing Cedric from Azathica after severing himself from the Unspeakable Ones, Gaius said what he believed to be a mostly final goodbye to Victoriana Dragoncrest, who he had done his utmost to protect during their time outside of their home country. While certain they might meet at some function, he did not believe they would meet on any familiar terms. Satisfied that he had done his knightly duty, he returned to Midad Gallows who paid him well for the safe return of Cedric and set about constructing Fort Sentinel, a castle to call his own. With the castle complete, the Knight set about making a name for himself in the various duelling tournaments in Whytehold. At the celebration party of the release of the Chronicles of Izir, Gaius enjoyed time with knights, men of influence such as his idol General Talon Austermark and among friends. He attempted to help remove Nightmare from the premises to limited success. He also encountered the bizarre cat Fishbones who spoke and often rudely demanded food and played tricks on people at the party. He was not impressed but reluctantly fed the creature to make it shut up. He was sad that he had missed some of the earlier merriment as there were magic competitions and possibly combat ones, however he had delayed getting ready and so arrived late. He also expressed distaste at the brutish Baldomar Ererim who had somehow forced his way in there. When Zaikerik and Raven Blackflame crashed the party, he tackled the Faceless Guardian head-on, unafraid of the mighty warrior and otherwise helped the party defeat the fabulous fighter. He was unfazed by the bizarre maze, but was brought low by the 'performance' put on by Raven as his old 'flame' Beatrix appeared and seduced him once more. He was greatly ashamed of what happened there. After this disastrous event, he went into hiding in Fort Sentinel with his fellow adventurers as they came to terms with how their lives were rapidly falling apart again through the series of ironic punishment delivered unto them. After almost a month, the Dark Monks rallied them to action with the warning that they were actively being hunted down by a force known as the Lightguard. At which point, they promptly fled to a small country village where they reconvened with Jerome Joysong before heading to the city of Haven. The cat Fishbones followed them, continuing to annoy the party with poor attitude failing to realise the hidden help that he was providing. Additionally, they were accosted by a Black Legionnaire which was soon revealed to not be hostile, but Ayla Vanderstone pretending to be a part of Zaikerik's elite army to find and help them. He was glad to see her, but hoped that their enemies could not track their position. Haven Haven would prove to be an insightful time for them all with regards to their foe, but Gaius also gained an incredibly powerful magical artefact. While navigating the city, Gaius led the charge in a difficult engagement against the Lightguard which they managed to win with the assistance of some of the Brotherhood of the Burning Blade. Around this time, Cedric disappeared with Ayla already having stayed behind at the Temple of Zythia where they had received some direction from the Dragon Devout present. They followed the Brotherhood's agents to their hideout in the old Hall of the Radiant Sword, an order of paladins wiped out in the destructive First Invasion of Haven. Here, they met Phillius Mydraal who offered Gaius and Kevin Valentine a deal - They would eliminate the Shadow of Haven and in return, be granted two boons. Gaius stood to gain a cursed sword by the name of Absolution with unknown magical power. He also informed them of the identity of the leader of the Lightguard, the ones who were hunting them down. The man's name was Nikovid Von Karstein and was a fierce fanatic. They set out to the marketplace and acquired some items, notably a tome of knowledge for Cedric which they would later give to him. As evening fell, they would encounter their target who fired strange magical crystals at them. However, he was shortly apprehended by Kevin. Their target was revealed to be none other than Kellan Sithwyr, the last remaining member of the Order of the Radiant Sword who had come into the possession of the titular blade. They struck a deal - Gaius knowing that the Brotherhood of the Burning Blade were largely profiteering scum from his days as a mercenary - They would drug Kellan and infiltrate the Hall where they would help Kellan dispatch Phillius and they would have whatever they wanted from the place. The plan went off mostly without a hitch. After the startling betrayal of Kellan, Gaius vowed to slay Kellan for betraying the knightly code and going rogue. In the meantime, they spent some time doing research. There was a library in the Hall of the Radiant Sword which they examined for information on Zaikerik and the Spirit Realm. Here, they learned key information about the structure of the spirit realm, Zaikerik's personal history and some minor information on undead creatures. Notably there was mention of Velkyn, the Dark Dragon and how his role in the Spirit Realm was significant as he was one of the three pillars of power. The hunt for Kellan was over sooner than anticipated. The next day, they found the man in the marketplace at which point a duel ensued. This quickly devolved into a chase where Gaius could not catch Kellan and Kellan could not harm Gaius. With the intervention of the rest of the party, they were eventually able to corner him at which point the disgraced warrior cleaved Kellan's shoulder and beheaded him choosing to take the lethal option rather than a merciful one. He regretted this decision slightly upon Steiner contacting his spirit and learning that it was the power of the crystal lodged in his back which caused it. Gaius was present for the revelations provided by Thaddeus Pureborn and provided little to the conversation in the ruined Citadel. He mostly asked questions which enabled him to understand some of the higher magical concepts being discussed. Similarly, he was present when Cedric and Ayla spoke to Mirvalbadir and Kavuldar (Revealing the latter would be put on trial before the dragons for his crimes which they were invited to see, likely because the matter of Zaikerik would also be discussed there) before they left the city. After leaving, they encountered the Goldheart manor where they met with Lexander Goldheart and Varius Nightborne. They explained that the estate had been raided by the Lightguard due to their connection with the Dark Monks and the party and that the castle of Raven's Roost was nearby and being used as a base of operations by Raven Blackflame. Gaius went with most of the party to Whytehold to handle Persecutor Nikovid von Carstein, the leader of the Lightguard who denounced them as heretics for leaving Tyrrus and knowing strange magic, while Ayla took Varius Nightborne to raid Raven's Roost. Whytehold His home city would prove to be a great challenge for him physically and mentally and Gaius would come to question his very ideals. Knowing that fighting the Lightguard was impossible, the group decided to adopt a peaceful approach. They easily infiltrated the city and set up in McDavos' inn. While scoping out the city Gaius, who had come into some money as of late, went to a notable metalworker's store where he sold his old set of plate armour, his old Zweihander and the Jailor's Hook itself for a masterwork set of Whytehold Steel plate armour that once belonged to the recently executed General Talon Austermark. He commissioned it to be reforged with bear motifs rather than lion motifs which he gladly claimed the next morning. He also learned some martial arts from the Elders in the Way of the Bear school, teaching him to grapple and disarm his opponents. Additionally, the research in Haven had tweaked Gaius' suspicions about the true nature of their unusual companion and unwanted party guest Fishbones. Cedric noticed this and confirmed the truth about the enigmatic cat. In terms of the actual revolution, Gaius' part was of a lead planner and in the field also a lead agent. He was present in the crowd for the first dramatic appearance of the White Heron when Commander Hogfeld of Eredan was rescued. When they needed to speak to Lord Sylgar to gain access to the printing press or stop it altogether, Gaius joined Lexander Goldheart posing as a bodyguard while Kevin infiltrated the manor. Negotiations were unsuccessful, his identity was noticed and a fight ensued in the Lord's office with Sentinel assisting. The fight was stopped and three lives saved by the timely arrival of Lord Sylgar's seven-year-old daughter at the door, at which point negotiations took a better turn. Unknown to the knight, Cedric had sabotaged the press and made use of its services himself while this was occurring and Kevin wreaked havoc across the house. He would next go on to impersonate the executioner at the scheduled execution of Azrik Al-Hassid (Before this on that day, he conducted some shopping for the upcoming Aysa's Day, as well as sending a letter to his parents informing them of his intention to invite the party as well as some close friends to their estate for the day). He was not detected here, however after releasing the Iziri tomb raider from his bonds he was catapulted to the city walls by Doctor Steiner. Azrik escaped, but Gaius found trouble with the Bastions and after Kevin shot one in the leg, was able to escape after taking a mace to the side. Finding himself cornered with only the plaza below, rooftops far away and Bastions ahead of him, Gaius chose to make a suicidal leap for the rooftops. He made it. One of his pursuers failed though one succeeded. The other he pushed off the roof. He soon found himself under siege on a rooftop. Fortune would smile upon Gaius in this moment. The two guards he had failed to convince to help summoned a Bastion who, after an accidental flirtatious comment, allowed the knight to come down and plead his case. The Bastion's name was revealed to be Wolfgang Geltrich and after this unlikely encounter, they settled on a dinner date later in McDavos' inn as he was sympathetic to the fight against the tyrant Nikovid. That evening, he spent a quality evening with Wolfgang which was briefly interrupted by a colleague Bastion Osmund appearing. They spent the night together after this disruption had gone. On Aysa's Day Eve, the revolution would come to a head. That morning, Azrik informed them of how he was hired to send the party to Transcendence as Zaikerik predicted the havoc they would cause there and intended to use them to destroy the Scendrasil. With this information in mind, they knew at some point they had to handle the problem of Izir. For now, they had to deal with the more pressing present. The party went to meet Ayla Vanderstone while Cedric, Gaius, Alibi and Sentinel would cause havoc at a meeting held by Nikovid where they would humiliate him with spiders. While Gaius and Alibi were dispatched to collect them in Hirokir via a Rift spell, their conflicting views sparked an argument where, feeling defensive about the idea that he may have committed many wrongs in the process of 'doing the right thing', he lashed out at the Spirit Animal. Gaius returned to the inn and waited after a frosty remainder of that trip. After Sentinel's sudden return, the pair and Wolfgang would investigate the fate of Cedric where they discovered that he had been captured by the Lightguard and Nikovid himself. While out there, they came into contact with Commander Leona Carrus who he realised to be against Nikovid and a supporter of the murdered General Austermark. While he failed to arrange a meeting, he was confident that he had found a likely candidate for a future General with Wolfgang acting as a possible Persecutor. However, while they were out there, he was spotted by Bastions and was surrounded. He shoved Wolfgang away and they fought, trying to save his new boyfriend's reputation. The last thing that Gaius remembered was a grand figure sighting him, extending a hand and the pain of his left gauntlet melting. He awoke next in prison. He soon noticed that his left hand was missing. From what he would later learn, it was burned so badly that it had to be surgically removed to prevent disease from spreading. He felt an incredible weakness, knowing that he was totally at the mercy of his captors and could die at any time. If they chose not to make a show of it, even his friends would be unable to save him. This unique moment of powerlessness changed his perspective on the world. Was this what his enemies had felt? Was this what those who were not strong enough knew when their deaths were at hand? How Kellan felt in the short moments before his death? He was forced to reflect on Alibi's words in Hirokir. In that short time, he was tortured and despite resisting and refusing to talk it only solidified the negativity that was infesting his mind. Something inside him realised that he needed to change. He was bloody-minded and merciless, and the of wraiths unleashed by Zaikerik upon him at the party only revealed that his body count was growing and growing. Small moments of fear, anger and cruelty had led to unnecessary deaths. Some were justifiable. Others were not. Being a knight was more than killing. It was about protecting the weak. It was about being virtuous and honourable. He had truly lost his way in the years following his exile. He couldn't help but conclude that after the disastrous first attempt and his recent disgracing at the party, that striving for knighthood had caused his fall in some ways. A misunderstanding somewhere, and the inability to resist certain temptations and the constant pursuit of material gains such as castles, wealth and an attractive spouse were consuming him. Gaius' captors would take him out of his cell via a secret tunnel. He suspected this was a move to prevent them from being broken out. The attempt failed with the sudden appearance of Kevin and Azrik who rescued Sentinel and himself. The two assisted and after a Bastion critically wounded Kevin, he swept up his companion's blade and struck down the wounded, crippled man as he desperately crawled away. He felt disgusted with the lack of hesitation he showed in striking the man down. When the prison was stormed, a sad reunion with Wolfgang occurred. His boyfriend was horrified to discover what had happened to Gaius and his hand but he insisted on pressing on to free Victoriana. The cell's twin steel vault doors were open and Gaius stepped into the majestic cell. He followed the sound of running water and after establishing Victoriana's dignity, he entered and found her fully clothed, drenching herself in cold shower water in despair. He made several attempts to try and comfort her, but found the familiar black flair of Unspeakable power in her eyes when he angered her and joking about his injuries only served to upset her. She felt guilty for helping Nikovid as she was deceived by him and for the murder of an innocent boy by accident. Eventually, he managed to convince her to leave before the situation worsened. After leaving the cell, he reunited with Cedric who had been horribly tortured and covered in spider bites. He did what he could to provide some comfort and encouragement for his friend. As they moved to reclaim their items, a resounding voice came from the roof. Nikovid held Jerome Joysong hostage and to rescue him, a plan was hastily devised. Gaius, Ayla, Sentinel and Wolfgang rushed to the top of the tower with the plan of shooting Nikovid off the roof before the blow could land using a crossbow Gaius had claimed from the Burning Blade in Haven while Steiner caught him and if necessary, Jerome at the bottom using his water magic. At the top of the tower, they were accosted by Nikovid's Sapper Beast. After he and Ayla slew the creature, he flew into a rage striking at Jerome. In a climactic moment, Ayla missed but Cedric ascended the tower most of the way with Doctor Steiner using Stepping Stones, a new spell he developed at the time. As soon as they were in range, Steiner cast a blood magic spell to snap the arm of Nikovid, forcing him to drop his axe. The spell ran out, but fortunately one of the artefacts Ayla recovered during her time in Raven's Roost created a portal which dropped the two atop the tower. Once Nikovid was disarmed, Gaius rushed to the side of the tower and held Nikovid under arrest and placed himself between Jerome and the Persecutor. Nikovid despaired after losing everything he had built and chose to throw himself off the side of the building in an attempt to commit suicide. Gaius failed to catch him, but as a result bore witness to Steiner's dramatic catch and resurrection by Fishbones at the bottom. Gaius and Cedric jointly visited the Persecutor after his arrest. They questioned his motives, convinced to give vital information about removing the Unspeakable Ones and he even thanked Nikovid for showing him what it meant to be a good man and fighting for a cause. No matter how right you may believe a cause to be, it was not worth the lives of anyone and everyone in your way. Nikovid received this with contempt and the pair left him to his misery. Afterwards, a joyous celebration occurred. Leona Carrus was proclaimed General, Wolfgang the new Persecutor and everyone spent an evening of merriment. Before Lexander departed that evening, he asked him to send a message to the Dark Monks asking whether they would be willing to talk to him about some things with regards to their order. Aysa's Day Gaius awoke the next day in bed with Wolfgang and Azrik. Though his recollection of the night was somewhat hazy, he felt as if it was a good time. Upon reflection during the carriage journey to the Lestrade estate, he would be surprised by the fact that this happened despite his impairment. In the morning, they found the book Velthor's Journey in the Elders' Library which contained the instructions described by Nikovid and met with the Lord Metallurgist and Archmage Redcliffe. He was partiuclarly intrigued by the news of the return of a dead Archmage which he found suspect, but also of suspected Hirokiri incursions in the West of Tyrrus. He recommended that Wolfgang send a detachment of Lightguard out there to handle the situation. The carriage journey passed quietly and he felt no small amount of trepidation. He had not been home for over ten years and was concerned about what they would say to him. Fortunately, such fears were unfounded. Upon arrival, he was warmly greeted by his family and introduced their guests - The party, Jerome Joysong and his fiancée Taylor Flynnford, Persecutor Wolfgang Geltrich and Queen Victoriana. They were naturally shocked to see royalty and were concerned about the quality of the meal. At the traditional time at midday, the present opening occurred. Gaius received a pair of socks from Sentinel (As did most other people), armour polish from Steiner, a teddy bear from Kevin, an enchanted Whetstone from Ayla and a left boot from Cedric. Wolfgang had requested and paid for a solid Whytehold Steel hand for Gaius which he was gifted and promptly wore. He passed gifts to his family, a necklace for Victoriana (which he regretted was so generic, but at least learned that she was a passionate painter), tickets to the Archmage of Noz (Which was much better received) as well as a selection of things for the group and Sentinel. Overall, it was successful. Over the course of the day he caught up with his family and between meals had some important conversations. With Francis, he discussed some military matters and soon after discussed the nature of Knighthood. His brother proved to be a well-travelled man with what Gaius felt were some forward thinking ideologies which suggested that titles were not important and merely the act of defending people was. To carry oneself with honour and virtue was enough. This caused Gaius to further question his place as a knight. With this on his mind, he went to question Steiner about whether a God of Forgiveness and Redemption existed and he was informed that this was the case, though he could say little. With this in mind, Fishbones was his next port of call for information. The cat revealed some more information about the God, but was of ultimately little help. He let slip some information about his emotions and he expressed sympathy and promised that they would avenge Fishbones' brood. The evening was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a mysterious tent and its equally mysterious owner. They identified themselves as simply Witch, from several stories which Gaius never believed to be true. He behaved in a fairly hostile manner, being mistrustful of people who appeared suddenly at parties and invited them into tents afterwards. His suspicions were allayed somewhat by a lack of tea. Witch revealed to them the prophecy that bound the five party members together as well as who they were on the cards, if they so chose. He could not help but wonder what this person who knew so much of them and their fates had access to about himself and asked to see his. The card revealed to him was The Redeemed and showed him as shining in light and proud. This sight gave him hope that he could make up for the many sins he had committed and strengthened his resolve to pursue a path in the future that would allow him to save people. After making Ayla appear as a human and not a ghost and Kevin a normal man not the disfigured wreck that was made at the party, Witch finally after some convincing from the party urged her to reveal a clue about where they could find a third spirit animal to exorcise Victoriana of the Unspeakable Ones. She revealed the cards of The Conflicted (Whose form shifted from a man to a large furry beast) in the City of Progress. With this, she disappeared as quickly as she appeared. They were startled by Jerome's cry of horror as he discovered the return of the Archmage and musical rival Cassius and brought his suspicions of being an agent of Zaikerik to the party. Gaius watched Jerome and Cedric's joint violin performance that followed the strange visit. He also failed to detect where Kevin had sneaked off to, proving the efficacy of the man's new outfit. After this, he spent some time drinking with his mother and father and catching up somewhat. They retired for the night after this, and Gaius was for once over the past two days alone and would be for some time. The next morning they departed for Eredan and Varewyn. At some point before they left, Gaius and Cedric had a conversation in private. The group travelled to a nearby village where a jetty was stationed with none other than the Old Boatman from a year and a half ago waiting at the only boat downriver. After Cedric haggled prices, Gaius exasperatedly got aboard after quickly tiring of the whole situation. The others soon followed other than Ayla who rode Camille into the river and followed from there. Gaius found the journey deeply confusing and slightly frustrating. Cedric's bad attitude set him on edge and the man's response did little to alleviate his tension. Despite this, Gaius found himself speaking to the Old Boatman whose name was revealed to be Jonathan Valley. After arriving at Eredan and full of Jonathan's strange tales of people he had met and some past adventures, Taylor went on her way asking the party to make sure Jerome came back alive from settling the score with Cassius in Varewyn. Gaius escorted Victoriana back to the castle and promised that if she needed them, he and the party would be there to help. He did not mention their plan for solving the Unspeakable Ones infesting not only her mind, but blood for fear that they might deploy countermeasures to the only method they had available. At that point, with nothing left to do in the rebuilt city that they had once saved, they proceeded on to the City of Progress... Varewyn To be continued in Legends of Tyrrus Part 5...